Empire Maker (USA)
April 27, 2000 – January 18, 2020
Unbridled (USA) x Toussaud (USA), by El Gran Senor (USA)
Family 6-d
April 27, 2000 – January 18, 2020
Unbridled (USA) x Toussaud (USA), by El Gran Senor (USA)
Family 6-d
Best remembered as the spoiler in the 2003 Triple Crown after Funny Cide had won the first two legs, Empire Maker was tremendously talented but was not always inclined to try his best. He also had his share of bad luck, picking up a foot bruise during the week before the Kentucky Derby that cost him some training time and may have cost him the race as a result. In spite of beating Funny Cide two times in three tries, he lost both the Derby and the Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old male to his rival, finishing second for both. Empire Maker was exported to Japan after standing seven seasons in Kentucky but left offspring that proved him a good sire of horses capable of running classic distances. After his paternal grandson American Pharoah won the American Triple Crown in 2015, Empire Maker was repatriated to stand at Gainesway Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, and remained there until his death in January 2020.
Race record
8 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$1,985,800
2002:
2003:
Honors
Eclipse Award finalist, American champion 3-year-old male (2003)
Assessments
Earned a rating of 106 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 2002, 20 pounds below champion Vindication.
Rated at 122 pounds on the International Classifications for 2003, 11 pounds below overall highweight Hawk Wing and 5 pounds below the top dirt horse, Candy Ride, but tied with Funny Cide for tops among 3-year-old males on dirt.
As an individual
Empire Maker stood 16.1 hands and was a less massive, more refined horse than his sire Unbridled. A lengthy but not long-backed bay, he had a long hip and short cannons. He gained a reputation for temperament quirks which he shared with other progeny of his dam Toussaud and had a tendency to pull himself up or goof off after making the lead.
As a stallion
As of November 9, 2024, Empire Maker has sired 909 winners (54.6%) and 75 stakes winners (4.5%) from 1664 named foals of racing age according to The Jockey Club's records, Empire Maker's progeny have generally been better with age and distance.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Acoma (USA), Bodemeister (USA), Country Star (USA), Eight Rings (USA), Emollient (USA), Grace Hall (USA), Icon Project (USA), In Lingerie (USA), La Poetisa (USA), Last Full Measure (USA), Mushka (USA), Pioneerof the Nile (USA), Royal Delta (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Arklow (USA), Avie's Flatter (CAN), Laurel River (USA), Nobals (USA), Rock Your World (USA), Separationofpowers (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Empire Maker was bred and owned by Juddmonte Farm. He was trained by Bobby Frankel, who called Empire Maker the most talented horse he ever trained but admitted that the colt was a chronic underperformer who probably never demonstrated the full of his potential. Empire Maker entered stud at Juddmonte in 2004. He was sold to the Japanese Bloodhorse Breeders' Association in November 2010 and stood the next five seasons at Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan. In September 2015, Gainesway Farm and Don Alberto Corporation announced their purchase of the stallion, who stood the 2016-2019 North American seasons at Gainesway. Empire Maker died of a rare disease that caused compromise of his immune system in January 2020.
Pedigree notes
Empire Maker is inbred 4x3 to In Reality, 5x4 to Buckpasser, and 5x5 to Native Dancer and Rough'n Tumble. Produced from 2002 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Toussaud, he is a half brother to 2000 Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1) winner Chester House (by Mr. Prospector; a good sire in a brief career), 2000 Santa Monica Handicap (USA-G1) winner Honest Lady (by Seattle Slew), 2002 Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1) winner Chiselling (by Woodman) and 2002 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (USA-G2) winner Decarchy (by Distant View). Honest Lady, in turn, is the dam of 2008 Forego Handicap (USA-G1) winner First Defence (by Unbridled's Song), Grade 2-placed stakes winner Honest Mischief (by Into Mischief), French stakes winner Phantom Rose (by Danzig) and English stakes winner Honest Quality (by Elusive Quality). Empire Maker is also a half brother to unraced Mesmeric (by A.P. Indy), dam of 2017 New Orleans Handicap (USA-G2) winner Honorable Duty (by Distorted Humor).
Toussaud won the 1993 Gamely Handicap (USA-G1) and is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Navarra, dam of Grade 3 winner and Argentine Classic sire Indygo Shiner (by A.P. Indy). Toussaud is also a half sister to listed stakes winner Image of Class (by Codex). Toussaud is out of Grade 2 winner Image of Reality (by In Reality), whose half sister Joan's Little Gem (by Kinsman Star) produced listed juvenile stakes winner Sky Command (by Relaunch). Image of Reality, in turn, was produced from Edee's Image (by Cornish Prince), whose half brother Walker's (by Jaipur) won the 1969 Sanford Stakes.
Books and media
The New York Racing Association's video of Empire Maker's Belmont Stakes victory can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2JfzR-dTtk.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Juddmonte Farm in 2007. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 13, 2024
Race record
8 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third, US$1,985,800
2002:
- 3rd Remsen Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
2003:
- Won Florida Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Wood Memorial S. (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- Won Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 2nd Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 2nd Sham Stakes (USA-R, 9FD, Santa Anita)
Honors
Eclipse Award finalist, American champion 3-year-old male (2003)
Assessments
Earned a rating of 106 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 2002, 20 pounds below champion Vindication.
Rated at 122 pounds on the International Classifications for 2003, 11 pounds below overall highweight Hawk Wing and 5 pounds below the top dirt horse, Candy Ride, but tied with Funny Cide for tops among 3-year-old males on dirt.
As an individual
Empire Maker stood 16.1 hands and was a less massive, more refined horse than his sire Unbridled. A lengthy but not long-backed bay, he had a long hip and short cannons. He gained a reputation for temperament quirks which he shared with other progeny of his dam Toussaud and had a tendency to pull himself up or goof off after making the lead.
As a stallion
As of November 9, 2024, Empire Maker has sired 909 winners (54.6%) and 75 stakes winners (4.5%) from 1664 named foals of racing age according to The Jockey Club's records, Empire Maker's progeny have generally been better with age and distance.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (www.arion.co.nz):
- Led the North American general sire list in 2012; 9th in 2011.
- 10th on the North American broodmare sire list in 2021.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 2nd on the American general sire list in 2012; 8th in 2011.
Notable progeny
Acoma (USA), Bodemeister (USA), Country Star (USA), Eight Rings (USA), Emollient (USA), Grace Hall (USA), Icon Project (USA), In Lingerie (USA), La Poetisa (USA), Last Full Measure (USA), Mushka (USA), Pioneerof the Nile (USA), Royal Delta (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Arklow (USA), Avie's Flatter (CAN), Laurel River (USA), Nobals (USA), Rock Your World (USA), Separationofpowers (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Empire Maker was bred and owned by Juddmonte Farm. He was trained by Bobby Frankel, who called Empire Maker the most talented horse he ever trained but admitted that the colt was a chronic underperformer who probably never demonstrated the full of his potential. Empire Maker entered stud at Juddmonte in 2004. He was sold to the Japanese Bloodhorse Breeders' Association in November 2010 and stood the next five seasons at Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan. In September 2015, Gainesway Farm and Don Alberto Corporation announced their purchase of the stallion, who stood the 2016-2019 North American seasons at Gainesway. Empire Maker died of a rare disease that caused compromise of his immune system in January 2020.
Pedigree notes
Empire Maker is inbred 4x3 to In Reality, 5x4 to Buckpasser, and 5x5 to Native Dancer and Rough'n Tumble. Produced from 2002 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Toussaud, he is a half brother to 2000 Arlington Million Stakes (USA-G1) winner Chester House (by Mr. Prospector; a good sire in a brief career), 2000 Santa Monica Handicap (USA-G1) winner Honest Lady (by Seattle Slew), 2002 Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1) winner Chiselling (by Woodman) and 2002 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (USA-G2) winner Decarchy (by Distant View). Honest Lady, in turn, is the dam of 2008 Forego Handicap (USA-G1) winner First Defence (by Unbridled's Song), Grade 2-placed stakes winner Honest Mischief (by Into Mischief), French stakes winner Phantom Rose (by Danzig) and English stakes winner Honest Quality (by Elusive Quality). Empire Maker is also a half brother to unraced Mesmeric (by A.P. Indy), dam of 2017 New Orleans Handicap (USA-G2) winner Honorable Duty (by Distorted Humor).
Toussaud won the 1993 Gamely Handicap (USA-G1) and is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Navarra, dam of Grade 3 winner and Argentine Classic sire Indygo Shiner (by A.P. Indy). Toussaud is also a half sister to listed stakes winner Image of Class (by Codex). Toussaud is out of Grade 2 winner Image of Reality (by In Reality), whose half sister Joan's Little Gem (by Kinsman Star) produced listed juvenile stakes winner Sky Command (by Relaunch). Image of Reality, in turn, was produced from Edee's Image (by Cornish Prince), whose half brother Walker's (by Jaipur) won the 1969 Sanford Stakes.
Books and media
The New York Racing Association's video of Empire Maker's Belmont Stakes victory can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2JfzR-dTtk.
Fun facts
- Empire Maker first signaled the level of his talent by outworking his stablemate Medaglia d'Oro—then a recent winner of the Travers Stakes (USA-G1)—while still an unraced 2-year-old.
- Empire Maker was so highly regarded by Juddmonte employees from foalhood on that many already had future book Kentucky Derby bets on him well before he had ever started in a race.
- With his Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) victory, Empire Maker became the first winner of an American Triple Crown race for both Bobby Frankel and Juddmonte Farm.
Photo credit
Portrait photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Juddmonte Farm in 2007. Used by permission.
Last updated: November 13, 2024